Folding organ.



PATENTED NOV. 29, 1904.

A. L. WHITE.

FOLDING ORGAN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1903.

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PATENTED NOV. 29, 1904.

A. L. WHITE.

FOLDING ORGAN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1903.

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N0 MODEL.

PATENTED NOV. 29, 1904.

A. L. WHITE.

FOLDING ORGAN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1903.

3 SHEBTS-SHEET 3.

10 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 29, 1904.

ALBERT L. WHITE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING ORGAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 776,004, dated November29, 1904.

Application filed February 24,1903. Serial No. 144,846. (No model.)

f0 all whom, it Inna concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT L. WHITE, a citizen of the United States,residing atOhicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Folding Organ, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to folding organs.

The object of the invention isto provide a construction and arrangementof parts which is simple and wherein the action, bellows, pedalmechanism, and the lever which actuates the swell, all of suitable andefficient size, may be compactly folded and inclosed within a case ofsmall size capable of being readily carried by hand.

A further object of the invention is to provide efficient means whichare simple whereby the folding or hinged parts of the inclosing case maybe readily and detachably locked in inclosing or open position.

A further object of the invention is to provide means which are simpleand efficient whereby the swell-actuating lever may be folded intoconvenient position to be compactly contained, with the other parts,within the inclosing case when folded and without disturbing the swellplate or board.

A further object of the invention is to provide cooperating locks forthe opposite ends of the folding case, one of which operatesautomatically to spring into locking relation with respect to the partsof the casing when they are brought into their opened position and theother operating automatically to spring out of locking relation whenreleased to unlock or disengage the parts of the casing when it isdesired to fold up the same.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination,location, and arrangement of parts, all as will more fully appearhereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and finally pointedout in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the various views andreference-signs appearing thereon, Figure 1 is a View in perspective ofa folding organ embodying the principles of my invention with the hingedparts or sections of the inclosing case locked in open position and theorgan ready for use. Fig. 2. is a transverse section on the line 2 2,Figs. 1 and 3, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a viewin vertical section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows. Fig. 4 is a broken detail view in plan, parts in horizontalsection, on the line 4 4, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrowsand showing the arrangement of the swell-actuating lever and itsconnections. Fig. 5 is aview similar to Fig. 4, showing the lever andassociated parts when the former is rocked into position for the organto be folded up. Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a folding organembodying the principles of my invention when in folded condition. Fig.7 is a view in section on the line 7 7, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a brokendetail view showing a means for operating the mute. Fig. 9 is a brokendetail view in section on the line 9 9, Fig. 7.

The same part is designated by the same reference-sign wherever itoccurs throughout the several views.

The inclosing casing is formed in two parts, (designated in thedrawings, respectively, by reference-signs A and B.) The part A mayproperly be termed the base part and is in the form of a rectangular boxor frame having closed ends and two adjacent sides, the other twoadjacent sides being omitted, as clearly indicated. One of the closedsides of this base part of the casing forms a supporting-bottom for theentire organ when opened up ready for use, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, andthe other closed side of the base part of the casing forms asupporting-bottom for the entire organ when it is folded, as shown inFigs. 6 and 7. If desired, these sides of the base part of the casingmay be provided with rubber or other studs (indicated at O) for awellunderstood purpose. Hinged or pivoted to the base A along the outeredge of one of the closed sides thereof are the foot-treadles orbellows-pedals D. This hinge connection may be of any suitable orconvenient arrangement. I have shown a simple arrangement which I havefound cflicieiit for the purpose, wherein clips or butts Eare secured tothe foot-treadles and are sleeved upon the bent portions of hinge-rodsF, the latter being suitably secured in or to a bar G, attached to andextending lengthwise along the edge of a closed side or bottom from endto end of the base and also serving to stiffen the base-frame. Ifdesired. and in order to conceal the hinge connection of thefoot-treadles, thereby enhancing the neatness of appearance while at thesame time affording means for protecting the surface or covering of thebase-frame or its strengthening-bar against scarring or abrasion by thefoot of the operator when the organ is in use, I may employ, as shown, aprotecting-plate H, of metal or other suitable material.

The part B of the casing may be properly termed the body part and isformed into a box-like frame having front and back as well as sidewalls. The front wall is cut out, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1, toafford access to the foot-treadles as well as to the kneeactuated leversfor controlling the swell of the organ. The rear or back wall of thepart B of the casing terminates at the edge thereof, which is the loweredge when the organ is opened up, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, in alateral flange J (see Figs. 3 and 7) of sufficient width to close thespace left between the parts A and B along the edges thereof adjacent tothis lateral flange when said parts A and B are folded together, asclearly shown in Fig. 7. This flange also serves the purpose ofaffording additional strength and rigidity to the part B of the casing.

The parts A and B of the casing are hinged together by short hingestud-bolts K at points adjacent to the ends of the lateral flange J. Byemploying short hinge-bolts instead of a hinge-rod extending from end toend or from side to side transversely across the casing I am enabledto-materially reduce the weight of the organ without sacrilicingstrength or efficiency, and in order to prevent the hinge stud-boltsfrom working loose or out of place 1 provide them with squared nuts orheads L, with a planed surface thereof in such close proximity to thesurface of the flange J as to be prevented from turning.

At the lower front corners of the part B and the upper front corners ofpart A of the casing, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, are providedregistering openings through the side or end walls of these parts, asindicated at N, through which operate locking-bolts 0. Theselocking-bolts are engaged by the free ends of spring plates or straps P,suitably secured upon the inside of the side walls of part B of thecasing, the locking-bolts passing through said springs and provided onthe inner ends thereof with heads against which the springs bear. Ontheir outer ends, which project through the registering openings N,these locking-bolts are provided with th um b-wings, which afiord meansfor turning the lockingbolts and which when said bolts are properlyturned will pass readily through the registering openings and when stillfurther turned serve to lock the bolts from withdrawal in a manner wellunderstood. The important fea ture of this part of my invention is thatboth springs P exert their tension in a direction to constantly pressand normally hold or retain both the locking-bolts projected toward theleft as viewed in Fig. 2 and as shown in full lines at the left-handside of Fig. 2 and in dotted lines at the right-hand side of said Fig.2. The purpose of this peculiar arrangement, and I regard it as avaluable feature of my invention, is to facilitate the locking togetherand unlocking of the parts of the casing when opened up or when it isdesired to close the same. Thus it will be seen that when it is de siredto open up the organ from its folded and closed position, as viewed inFigs. 6 and 7, the fastenings, presently to be referred to, aredetached, and the part B of the casing is rocked or swung about itspivotal stud-bolts K until the openings N are brought into register. henthis occurs, one and only one of the locking-bolts 0 will spring throughunder the influence of its tension-spring or plate, thus affording asupport for the part B of the casing in its upright or open positionuntil the other locking-bolt is forced by hand and against the action ofits spring through its cooperating registering openings, and bothlocking-bolts may then be properly turned to cause the thumb-wings toengage crosswise of the openings, thereby retaining the lockingbolts inposition to lock the parts A and B of the casing in open position. inthis manner the danger is avoided of the part B collapsing before anefficient engagement of the lockingbolts is effected or while theoperator is trying to insert or engage said bolts. Again, in closing upthe parts into their folded position by merely turning one of thelocking-bolts until the winged thumb-piece on its outer end will passthrough the openings N said bolt will be automatically snapped orwithdrawn from locking relation by its associated spring, while theother bolt will not be so automatically withdrawn, but must be manuallypulled or withdrawn from the openings in connection with which it isused. Thus, again, the danger is avoided of the part B untimelycollapsing or folding up while closing the casing. It will thus be seenthat one of the lockingbolts operates automatically to spring intolocking relation when opening up the casing, while the other operatesautomatically to spring out of locking relation when the thumbwingsthereon are suitably registered with the openings when the casing is tobe folded, and in either case the danger is avoided of the part B undulyor untimely collapsing or closing up.

When the parts A and B of the casing are folded into their closedposition, it is desirable that they be efiiciently locked together,

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so that the organ may be conveniently carried by hand without danger ofopening up in transportation. I have provided asimple and efficientconstruction of fastenil'ig for accomplishing this purpose, comprising ahinge butt or clip Q, (see Fig. 9,) riveted or otherwise secured to oneof the parts of the casing, and to which is pivotally connected alooplink It, arranged to loop over a stud or lug S, riveted or otherwisesecured to the other part of the casing when these parts occupy theirclosed or folded up positions, and in order to guard against accidentaldisplacement or detachment of the link from engaging relation over thestud or lug I pivotal] y mount on the stud or lug aspring locking plateor strip T, arranged to be rocked into position to be threaded throughthe link previous to the application of the link over the stud and thento be rocked into position to form a keeper for said link to retain thesame on or over the lug, as will be clearly understood from thedrawings.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide anexceedingly simple and efficient arrangement, wherein the parts of thecasing may be folded up into small compass or opened up for operation ofthe organ at pleasure and wherein provision is made for efficientlylocking and retaining the same in either closed or open position.

Upon and within the part B of the casing is mounted the organ-keyboard,(indicated generally at M,) the organ-action, and the airbellows andair-chambers. These parts may be of the usual or any well-knownconstruction, and in the details thereof, except in the particularshereinafter pointed out, form no part of my present invention.

In practice and as usual I prefer to employ two sets of bellows, eachoperated from a foot treadle or pedal through a straw-band or otherflexible connection, the movable part of -the bellows vibratinghorizontally when the organ is opened up. WVith such an arrangement I amenabled to secure a wider range of action of the bellows and to maintaina more desirable degree of air-pressure in the associated air-chambers,thereby securing better results without occupying an undue extent ofroom or space than is possible where the movable part of the bellowsvibrates vertically. In order to accomplish this result, which isspecially desirable in a folding organ designed to be folded or closedup into a small compass, while at the same time permitting the foldingup of the inclosing casing without interference or derangement of theband or strap connection between the foot-treadles and the bellows, Iarrange a transverse bar A to extend from end to end or side to side ofthe casing B, at a point substantially over the free ends of thefoot-treadles D (see Fig. 3) when the organ is in opened-up position andopposite or at about the height of the free end of the vibratingbellows. The flexible straps B are secured at one end in any suitable orconvenient manner to the free ends of the foot-treadles and are leadtherefrom in a substantially vertical line to and through suitablelateral openings in the bar A and thence horizontally to their points ofattachment to the movable parts of the bellows. In this manner I amenabled to maintain the flexible connections straight when the organ isopened up, as Viewed in 3, and also when folded, as seen in Fig. 7, inthe latter case these connections folding over the edge of the box orframe of the bellows, as clearly shown, and the danger of theirinterference with other parts or derangement is avoided. The bar A mayalso serve the purpose of a brace for stiffening or strengthening thefoundationboard of the organ.

Another feature of my invention which I will now describe is theprovision of means whereby the knee-pedals through which the swell isoperated may be folded, so as to avoid interference with other partswhen the organ is folded up. This result Isecure by providing theknee-pedals C with a rod D, having a crank-arm extension E. The shankmay be journaled to rock in suitable bearings, as clearly shown in thedrawings, and is connected through a flexible band or strap F with thecrank-arm G of a rocking rod H, (see particularly Figs. 3, 4L, and 5,)through which the swell-stop is operated. In Fig. 8 I have shown aslightly-modified arrangement wherein the flexible strap F is connecteddirectly between the crankarm E and the swell-stop. From the foregoingdescription it will be readily seen that the knee-pedals are free torock in both directions in one to operate the swell-stops. the flexiblestraps becoming in that case taut, as seen in Fig. 4:. and in the otherto be folded within the casing B, the flexible strap F in the lattercase becoming loose, shown in Fig. 5, and hence the knee-pedals can befolded within the easing to enable the latter to be folded up withoutinterference therewith.

Reference-sign J designates a hinged or folding top or cover for thekeyboard, and which top or cover when the organ is opened up may alsoserve the purpose of a musicrest, as shown in Figs. 1 and If desired,this hinged top may be provided with a handle K to afford convenientmeans for carrying the organ like a satchel or dress-suit case whenfolded up. hen this top or cover is folded down into closed position, asshown in Figs. 6 and 7, it maybe fastened in such position byfastening-s (indicated at L) which may be similar in all respects to thefastenings shown in Fig. 9 and as above described.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I am enabled toemploy a continuous keyboardthat is, one that is not made in hingedsectionsthe keyboard extending transversely from end to end of thecasing B and being limited in length only by the transverse length ofthe casing without in the least detracting from compactness in foldingup the organ into a small space or compass.

It is believed that the construction, arrangement, and operation will befully and clearly understood from the foregoing description when takenin connection with the accompanying drawings.

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and aconstruction embodying the principles thereof, what I claim as new anduseful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a folding organ, a casing formed in two parts suitably hingedtogether, the upper section having a cut-away portion on its front side,and the lower section having two sides adapted respectively to closeover the bottom and the open front side of the top section, catchesarranged at opposite sides of said casing parts,and correspondingsprings arranged to press said catches respectively into loeking andunlocking position, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a folding organ, a casing formed of two parts, one of said partshaving a lateral flange along the bottom edge of its back wall, andshort pivot-studs for pivotally connecting said parts at the ends ofsaid lateral flange, said pivot-studs having squared nuts or heads ontheir inner ends arranged to engage said lateral flange, as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In a folding organ, a casing formed in two parts, said parts beinghinged or pivoted together along the rear edges thereof, andsnap-catches arranged at opposite sides adjacent the front edges of saidcasing parts, and springs arranged to press said catches respectivelyinto locking and unlocking relation, as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. In a folding organ, a casing comprising a base part and a body part,said parts being hinged together along their rear edges, and havingopenings in the ends or sides thereof adjacent to their front edges,locking-bolts arranged to enter said openings when the latter arebrought into register, and springs operating to exert a tension on saidbolts, said springs arranged to press said bolts in the same direction,whereby one of said bolts tends to snap into and the other tends to snapout of its respective cooperating openings, as and for the purpose setforth.

In a folding organ, the combination with a casing comprising a base anda body part, said parts being hinged together, an organ keyboard andaction and bellows mounted in said body part, a foot-treadle pivotallymounted in said base part, a brace-bar arranged within said body part ata point vertically over the free end of said treadle, and a flexiblestrap connecting the free end of said treadle and the bellows, saidstrap leading through said brace-bar, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a folding organ, a casing including a base and a body partsuitably hinged together, an organ action and keyboard and a bellowsmounted within said body part, said bellows having ahorizontally-vibrating part, a foottreadle arranged within said base, abrace-bar carried by said body part over the free end of said treadleand a flexible strap attached at its ends respectively to the free endof said treadle and to the horizontally-vibrating part of said bellows,said strap intermediate its ends passing through said brace-bar, as andfor the purpose set forth.

7. In a folding organ, and in combination with the base and body part ofthe inclosing casing suitably hinged together, and an organactionincluding a swell-stop, of a knee-pedal, pivotally mounted to fold intothe casing, and a flexible connection intermediate said pedal and stop,as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a folding organ, a casing comprising a base and a body portionsuitably hinged together, and an organ-action including a swellstopinclosed within said body portion, in combination with a knee-pedal, ashank therefor said shank being journaled to rock and provided with acrank-arm, and a flexible connection between said crank and swell-stop,whereby said knee-pedal may be folded within the casing, as and for thepurpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 20th day ofFebruary, 1903, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT L. \Vll ITE.

I/Vitnesses:

C. H. SEEM,

S. E. DARBY.

